A PUBLICATION OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE MEMBER OF THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM VOL. 41 NO. 3 2005 Is Texas ready for high-speed rail? PAGE 2 Pecos facility open for business PAGE 6 Hall of Honor welcomes three inductees PAGE 12 Tackling Midsize City Congestion TTI and the Brazos Valley explore possible solutions PAGE 8 HIGH-SPEED RAIL High-Speed Rail Dream Is the time right for high-speed rail in Texas? ipping a cup of coffee in a comfortable chair S with leg room…leaving Houston after work for an evening dinner in San Antonio… avoiding congested freeways and airports…all while being whisked along near ground level at speeds approaching 200 miles per hour (mph). Currently, that scenario is only possible in countries such as Japan and France. But Texas could be ready to make a large leap forward into high-speed rail travel. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is providing background research to determine the feasibility of high- speed rail in Texas. TTI is serving The Linear Shinkansen bullet train in Japan. MORE INFORMATION The bullet train is one of the three high- For more information, as a resource agency providing speed rail technologies being researched please contact Curtis expertise and analytical by TTI. Morgan at (979) 458-1683 or [email protected]. capabilities to the Texas High- speed Rail and Transportation Corporation (THSRTC). T EXAS T RANSPORTATION R ESEARCHER High-speed rail technologies Incremental higher speed rail This technology involves making improvements to existing service and facilities to achieve substantial travel time savings. The proposed high-speed rail line would travel on the same right-of- way, and possibly the same track as freight trains. “The condition of the track is really what determines how fast the train can go,” says Morgan. “Incremental high-speed rail could involve putting in a second track so the freight and rail trains The United States Department of Transportation designated future high-speed rail corridors could have increased capacity, throughout the country to connect certain cities. The above map illustrates the federally which would also mean putting designated high-speed rail corridors and the existing Amtrak service corridors. Other proposed routes form a “triangle” connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. in a second bridge at some crossings.” TTI’s involvement with nects Little Rock, Texarkana, Fort THSRTC began with a proposal to Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Okla- European/Japanese style present a series of white papers and homa City and Tulsa. “Bullet Trains” reports. The first report, written With a project the size and scope In the mid 1960s, Japan by Craig Roco and Les Olson was of a high speed rail system, there introduced the first bullet train that an analysis of past high speed rail are many technical and financial is considered to be the inspiration efforts in Texas. The report, “Policy areas to evaluate. TTI is also for other similar type systems in and Financial Analysis of High- documenting the steps required operation today. The trains run on Speed Rail Ventures in the State of for the development of high speed dedicated rail lines and achieve Texas,” was published in 2004. rail and helping THSRTC establish speeds up to 185 mph. The purpose of the next paper a compendium of information on Long touted for their excellent is to present the options available the types of assessments, studies safety and on-time record, high- for different high speed rail and decisions necessary to make speed rail lines connect much of technologies (see sidebar). high speed rail a reality in Texas. Europe and Asia, with existing “High speed rail means different Future work may include systems in the United Kingdom, things to different people,” says assisting THRSTC in locating and France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Curtis Morgan, assistant research collecting necessary data such as Korea, Taiwan and China. scientist with TTI. “So when you maps, population and employment Maglev say high speed rail, you have to density, strategic military transport Maglev (short for magnetic make sure people know what concerns and freight needs. levitation) trains use powerful you are talking about in terms of TTI may also help evaluate the magnets that allow trains to float technology.” trade-offs between system speed over a guideway using the basic Along with presenting the tech- and cost by documenting the high principles of magnets to replace nologies, Morgan is also evaluat- speed rail options that are in use the old steel wheel and train ing the various high speed rail throughout the world. tracks. The newest innovation routes, which have been proposed “It is an honor for THSRTC to in high-speed rail technology, over the years by different agen- partner with such a distinguished maglev trains can travel at speeds cies. For example, the United States research organization, which will up to 310 mph. Department of Transportation (US study vital aspects of the high- Maglev trains do not use a DOT) has designated future high speed rail system plan,” says John conventional train engine. The speed rail corridors throughout the Happ, THSRTC vice-president electrified coils in the guideway country to connect certain cities. and College Station City Council walls and the track combine to In 2000, US DOT designated the member. propel the train. South Central corridor, which con- T EXAS T RANSPORTATION R ESEARCHER 3 WORKSHOPS The Best Laid Plats Workshops emphasize the value of involving TxDOT early in land development In a series of workshops, based on Texas Department “Early.”of Transportation (TxDOT) sponsored research, conducted at nine districts across the state, early was the watchword of the day. If attendees took nothing else from the daylong sessions conducted by Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers, they should have at least left knowing that involving TxDOT in the earliest stages of land development adjacent to on- system roadways can help prevent a lot of heartburn and headaches down the road. Plan the land Most local jurisdictions follow a multi-staged At this stage, TxDOT would most like to see the par- process in their review and approval of subdivision cel layout and make suggestions for shared/joint access plats and development plans. As developers and easements or cross-access easements for the smoothest, other planners go through the stages of turning land safest traffic flow and access once the property is de- into subdivisions and other developments, they must veloped. It is also an important time for TxDOT and decide early on what to put where. Known as the local jurisdictions to coordinate on right-of-way needs “platting” stage of development, it’s at this time that to ensure that future development (or redevelopment) new property lines are established and used to create of the parcel is coordinated with future improvements new parcels. planned for the roadway. 4 T EXAS T RANSPORTATION R ESEARCHER WORKSHOPS process, show how local decisions impact state facilities, and to stress the importance of TxDOT-local coordination in the planning stages of development,” says Hard. “The workshops are targeted for TxDOT employees, but planners and engineers from local jurisdictions were also invited in order to discuss current local TxDOT cooperative efforts and potentially how these could be improved.” The team-taught workshops explained how TxDOT can coordinate with cities, counties and other local entities, including reviewing plats and site plans for access, right-of-way issues, driveways and traffic flow. “It’s not possible to talk about the importance of TxDOT involvement in the process without talking about access management,” says Eisele. “Access management Workshop attendees get hands-on experience reviewing plats for involves planning and coordinating the location, design land use and traffic flow. Involving TxDOT at the platting stage helps and operation of driveways together with internal ensure a smooth completion process and better traffic flow. roadway design features such as turn lanes, median “Early involvement in the process is especially help- treatments, and median openings. Applying these ful, particularly for fast-growing, urban districts like concepts, which are detailed in both the TxDOT Access ours,” says Brian Barth, director of Transportation Management Manual and TxDOT Roadway Design Planning and Development for TxDOT’s Dallas Dis- Manual, is crucial to the land development process.” trict. “Involving TxDOT in the process during the pre- City officials from the area, various TxDOT employees liminary plat stage, when there is still some flexibility, is and county representatives were on hand for a workshop beneficial for everyone involved.” held recently at the Dallas District office. Attendees got a Echoing those sentiments, Mark Marek, TxDOT’s hands-on look at how complex planning for access can be Design Division director, stresses the importance of and how competing interests or landowners can present coordination throughout the development process. real problems in need of coordinated solutions. “Having a cooperative effort between state and local entities during the development stage precludes many Early involvement pays off problems later on,” says Marek. The workshops in the districts allowed Hard and While cities and counties have historically been Eisele to emphasize meaningful benefits of involv- responsible for reviewing and approving subdivisions ing TxDOT early in land development. Such benefits and land development in Texas, TxDOT remains include: responsible for access and right-of-way along state • coordinated traffic flow through developed areas roads. Therefore, a relationship between the developer, and along corridors, the local entity in charge of approving plans and TxDOT is key to a smooth process for land development. • better, more integrated decision making and land In a survey of Texas cities, nearly two-thirds of the use planning, cities surveyed already include TxDOT in the plat review • increased input during planning stages on local process to some degree.